diff --git a/enrol/externallib.php b/enrol/externallib.php
index 9e2338d7e3a..8f4ef7f0efb 100644
--- a/enrol/externallib.php
+++ b/enrol/externallib.php
@@ -655,7 +655,10 @@ class core_role_external extends external_api {
                         array(
                             'roleid'    => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'Role to assign to the user'),
                             'userid'    => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'The user that is going to be assigned'),
-                            'contextid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'The context to unassign the user role from'),
+                            'contextid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'The context to unassign the user role from', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
+                            'contextlevel' => new external_value(PARAM_ALPHA, 'The context level to unassign the user role in
++                                    (block, course, coursecat, system, user, module)', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
+                            'instanceid' => new external_value(PARAM_INT, 'The Instance id of item where the role needs to be unassigned', VALUE_OPTIONAL),
                         )
                     )
                 )
@@ -679,7 +682,7 @@ class core_role_external extends external_api {
 
         foreach ($params['unassignments'] as $unassignment) {
             // Ensure the current user is allowed to run this function in the unassignment context
-            $context = context::instance_by_id($unassignment['contextid'], IGNORE_MISSING);
+            $context = self::get_context_from_params($unassignment);
             self::validate_context($context);
             require_capability('moodle/role:assign', $context);
 
@@ -689,7 +692,7 @@ class core_role_external extends external_api {
                 throw new invalid_parameter_exception('Can not unassign roleid='.$unassignment['roleid'].' in contextid='.$unassignment['contextid']);
             }
 
-            role_unassign($unassignment['roleid'], $unassignment['userid'], $unassignment['contextid']);
+            role_unassign($unassignment['roleid'], $unassignment['userid'], $context->id);
         }
 
         $transaction->allow_commit();
diff --git a/enrol/tests/externallib_role_test.php b/enrol/tests/externallib_role_test.php
index a3ed01e3307..f3b77f01a5a 100644
--- a/enrol/tests/externallib_role_test.php
+++ b/enrol/tests/externallib_role_test.php
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ class core_role_external_testcase extends externallib_advanced_testcase {
         $users = get_role_users(3, $context);
         $this->assertEquals(count($users), 1);
 
-        // Call the external function. Assign teacher role to $USER.
+        // Call the external function. Unassign teacher role using contextid.
         core_role_external::unassign_roles(array(
             array('roleid' => 3, 'userid' => $USER->id, 'contextid' => $context->id)));
 
@@ -123,6 +123,19 @@ class core_role_external_testcase extends externallib_advanced_testcase {
         $users = get_role_users(3, $context);
         $this->assertEquals(count($users), 0);
 
+        // Add teacher role to $USER on course context.
+        role_assign(3, $USER->id, $context->id);
+        $users = get_role_users(3, $context);
+        $this->assertEquals(count($users), 1);
+
+        // Call the external function. Unassign teacher role using context level and instanceid.
+        core_role_external::unassign_roles(array(
+            array('roleid' => 3, 'userid' => $USER->id, 'contextlevel' => "course", 'instanceid' => $course->id)));
+
+        // Check the role has been unassigned on course context.
+        $users = get_role_users(3, $context);
+        $this->assertEquals(count($users), 0);
+
         // Call without required capability.
         $this->unassignUserCapability('moodle/role:assign', $context->id, $roleid);
         $this->setExpectedException('moodle_exception');
diff --git a/lib/accesslib.php b/lib/accesslib.php
index dbb20318e70..ce4fe111e13 100644
--- a/lib/accesslib.php
+++ b/lib/accesslib.php
@@ -1695,7 +1695,7 @@ function role_assign($roleid, $userid, $contextid, $component = '', $itemid = 0,
  *
  * @param int $roleid
  * @param int  $userid
- * @param int|context  $contextid
+ * @param int  $contextid
  * @param string $component
  * @param int  $itemid
  * @return void